Laverne Cox Photo: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Turner New in What the hell is this: ? Possibly years! The revelation came after the company posted a teaser for Una Donna Promettente in which Cox’s character, Gail, can be heard speaking in what the Guardian described as “a distinctively masculine tone.” The actor chosen for Cox’s part, Robert Pedicini, previously voiced Ralph Fiennes in A Bigger Splash; as evidenced by this trailer, his tones are indeed distinctive and masculine.
“We are deeply grateful to Laverne and the transgender community for opening our eyes to a bias that neither we nor many in our industry had recognized,” read a Universal Pictures International statement to Variety. “We are sorry for the pain caused but are thankful that we can address the situation on this film and prevent similar mistakes from happening again on future projects.”
Noting that “there was no malicious intent behind this mistake,” the statement added that Universal is “working diligently” to re-dub Cox with female actors in its international territories, yes territories. According to Variety, Universal already released a male-dubbed version of Prominent Young Woman in Spain last month, and was planning to do the same in Germany. There, the company will now hold the release while a woman re-records Cox’s part, as it is doing in Italy.
“I think this dubbing choice was a straight-up act of violence,” Vittoria Schisano, a trans, Italian voice actor who has dubbed Cox in the past but says she was not asked to even read for the part this time around, told the Guardian. “It’s insulting. I’d feel bullied if I were [Cox].” Cox herself does not appear to have commented on the whole situation, but insulting? Does not even begin to cover it!
BraQwajo KobbykyJunior
This is terrible for the perception of Black women.
What the fuck?!